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CSOs back Shippers Council Regulatory Bill

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CSOs back Shippers Council Regulatory Bill

 

A group of 45 civil society groups under the auspices of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups in Nigeria for Promotion of Accountability and Transparency in Governance (CCSGNPATG) have thrown their weight behind the proposed Nigeria Shippers Council regulatory agency.

 

Recall that the Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigeria Shippers’ Council Act and enact the Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill and Related Matter passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

 

This crucial legislation aims to empower the Nigerian Shippers Council to effectively regulate the shipping industry, protect the interests of shippers, and promote economic growth.

 

Speaking on behalf of the groups at a press conference on Monday,  Patriot Nwogu Ndubisi hailed the

Committee on Shipping Services for its inclusivity, giving stakeholders the platform to make inputs to the bill at a public hearing.

 

He said the bill will bring much-needed transparency, accountability, and efficiency to the sector while strengthening the Shippers Council’s regulatory powers, reduce costs, increase competition, and improve service delivery.

 

He, therefore, said that the passage of this bill will have a positive impact on the Nigerian economy and the lives of citizens.

 

“Our coalition is pleased to note that 99% of the opinions expressed at the public hearing were in favour of the Bill as presented,” Ndubisi added.

 

“We also note that a few amendments were suggested, which the House Committee on Shipping Services, ably led by Honourable Abdulsamad Dansuki, has promised to take notice of. Such an accommodating disposition is what the electorates expect of our lawmakers, and we look forward to the House sustaining this trend.

 

“We want to specifically commend the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Rt. Hon. Tajudden Abbas for the speedy consideration of the Bill by the People’s House under his leadership.

 

“This is even as we use this opportunity to appeal to the Right Honourable Speaker to help sustain this tempo given the significance of this bill and its importance to the national economy and the positive impact it would have on the lives of citizens.

 

“We, therefore, plead with Senate President Godswill Akpabio that Nigerians are eager to see the Senate replicate the pace the House has adopted in treating the Bill.

 

“We are of the view that such accelerated handling of the Shipping Council Regulatory Bill aligns with the Senate President’s avowal to tackle inflation, economic hardship, and difficulties that Nigerians are facing. We look forward to commending the Senate for the manner it will treat the bill when it comes to the Red Chamber for concurrence.

 

“Our final appeal goes to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his speedy assent when the Bill is transmitted to the Presidency. With the passion he has shown for rebooting Nigeria’s economy to its optimum, we do not doubt that Mr President will greet the Shipping Council Regulatory Bill with the same urgency with which the Students Loan Bill was greeted to become an Act.

 

“Meanwhile, we laud the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola for getting it right with the Shipping Council Regulatory Bill.  The support he has mobilised so far shows his level of transparency and zeal to regulate the maritime economy. Posterity will be kind to him and all his subordinates who made the progress of the Bill a reality.

 

“To our compatriots, Nigerians, we ask that as stakeholders we continue to collectively support our lawmakers in the National Assembly to make the eventual delivery of a ‘Shipping Council Regulatory Act’ a reality.“

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Otunba Olufemi Okenla turns 60

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Otunba Olufemi Okenla turns 60

Otunba Olufemi Okenla turns 60

Otunba Olufemi Okenla, chairman of HDV Group and owner of Ibis Ikeja Hotel, is turning 60. To celebrate this milestone, the lawyer-turned-entrepreneur has planned various programs for his diamond jubilee.

Otunba Olufemi Okenla turns 60

 

 

As part of the festivities, he will officially open a multi-million naira Entrepreneur Centre at Olabisi Onabanjo University his alma mater in Ago Iwoye on Wednesday, showcasing his commitment to community development and supporting his roots.

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Grace Nation: The Implications of Unrighteousness is Suffering – Dr Chris Okafor

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Grace Nation: The Implications of Unrighteousness is Suffering – Dr Chris Okafor.

…. God is too Loaded to Lie – Okafor

Understanding God’s Purpose for Financial Dominion is also understanding God as the Processor of Life, He is the alpha and Omega of wealth, when you understand his Principles and follow his command you will experience financial Dominion because silver and Gold belongs to the Lord.

Teaching on the series, “Understanding financial blessings through Financial Dominion Part 2” Senior Pastor Grace Nation Global and the Generational Prophet of God Dr Chris Okafor Continue on examines What is God purpose for financial Dominion for his People, The Generational Prophet Of God highlighted, that To demonstrate his love and care, meeting the needs of his People.

The Man of God continues that God wants to meet the needs of his People and by showing them love supplying their needs. God wants to Empower his people to be a blessing to the world, which means, until you become a Blessing to the kingdom and his people before you can be called a blessing.

Dr Chris Okafor continue on God purpose for financial Dominion said it is for the spread of his kingdom on earth, it is also to empower people to serve as authority on the earth, while declaring that Financial Dominion is not for show but for kingdom advancement.

In conclusion the Generational Prophet of God Dr Chris Okafor remarked that when we follow God’s Principles,we are privileged to access all his Provisions.

The Divine intervention and Breakthrough Sunday Service on 6 April 2025 held at the international Headquarters of Grace Nation international aka Liberation City in Ojodu Berger Lagos Nigeria witness, the words, deliverance, diverse kind of Healing ,Miracles, Restoration and Solution to all kinds of problems.

Earlier it was a special Birthday Parade by the Nigeria Army Band to Celebrate another years of Grace, Annoiting and God mercy over the Generational Prophet of God Dr Chris Okafor as he marks another glorious Birthday, it was indeed awesome, A special birthday rendetion song was made to celebrate God chosen, Accurate Seer of our time, The Man that sees it all Dr Chris Okafor to the Glory of God.

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From Democracy to Dictatorship: Nigeria’s Descent into Autocracy Since 2015

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From Democracy to Dictatorship: Nigeria’s Descent into Autocracy Since 2015
By George Omagbemi Sylvester

 

Since the All Progressives Congress (APC) took over Nigeria’s leadership in 2015, the country has not only witnessed a decline in democratic values but has steadily descended into a dangerous state of autocracy. What began as a hopeful transition of power soon turned into a nightmare marked by economic collapse, repression of civil liberties, electoral manipulation, and widespread insecurity. This is not a democracy. This is a hijacked republic.

 

A Promise Betrayed


When President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC were elected in 2015, they rode a wave of public discontent with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Nigerians yearned for transparency, security, and economic reform. But what they got instead was a regime that centralized power, weakened democratic institutions, and silenced dissent with an iron grip.

Buhari’s government—backed by APC party loyalists—pursued an agenda that systematically undermined democracy. Between 2015 and 2023, the government was notorious for disobeying court orders, arresting journalists, intimidating judges, and deploying security agencies to suppress peaceful protests. From the illegal detention of activists like Omoyele Sowore to the bloody repression of the #EndSARS protests, the Buhari era mirrored a military dictatorship cloaked in civilian garb.

 

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The Death of Accountability

Under APC rule, checks and balances became a joke. Institutions that should serve as watchdogs—like the National Assembly and the judiciary—were reduced to rubber stamps. The rule of law was trampled underfoot with alarming regularity. Court rulings, including those from the ECOWAS Court of Justice, were routinely ignored by the presidency and security agencies.

Corruption, the very evil Buhari promised to fight, flourished under his watch. Nigeria dropped significantly on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, ranking 154 out of 180 countries in 2021. Multi-billion-naira scandals involving public funds—like the NNPC missing billions, the arms procurement fraud, and the Pandora Papers revelations—were either brushed aside or buried under a mountain of government propaganda.

Electoral Fraud Disguised as Elections
Perhaps the most disturbing assault on democracy under APC has been the bastardization of the electoral process. The 2019 and 2023 general elections were marred by voter suppression, ballot box snatching, intimidation of voters, and open partisanship by security agencies. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), once respected, lost its credibility as electoral umpire.

The 2023 presidential election is a glaring example. Despite promises of electronic transmission of results and transparency, INEC inexplicably abandoned its BVAS and IREV technologies midway through result collation. International observers including the European Union and the National Democratic Institute condemned the elections as lacking transparency, credibility, and fairness.

What kind of democracy exists when the votes of the people are disregarded, and leaders are imposed against the will of the majority?

Suppression of the Press and Civil Society
Freedom of speech and the press, hallmarks of any functioning democracy, have suffered grave attacks since 2015. Journalists were harassed, media houses fined or shut down, and online platforms were targeted. In 2021, the Nigerian government banned Twitter for over seven months simply because citizens used it to criticize the president. This action not only violated the constitution but exposed the government’s deep authoritarian impulse.

Civil society groups and human rights organizations became targets of smear campaigns and regulatory clampdowns. The Buhari regime and its successors sought to monitor, regulate, and restrict non-governmental organizations through draconian laws and policies.

An Economy in Ruins
A thriving economy supports a stable democracy. But under APC rule, Nigeria’s economy collapsed. The country slipped into two recessions in five years, inflation soared, and the naira depreciated to record lows. Insecurity, mismanagement, and policy inconsistencies drove away investors. Unemployment skyrocketed to over 33%, and poverty rose so dramatically that Nigeria became the world’s “poverty capital,” surpassing India.

Fuel subsidy mismanagement, crude oil theft, forex fraud, and mounting debt (now over $110 billion) are all legacies of APC’s gross misgovernance. How can democracy thrive in the face of economic asphyxiation?

Insecurity as a Political Tool
Under APC governance, Nigeria became a killing field. Boko Haram insurgents, Fulani herdsmen, bandits, and unknown gunmen unleashed terror across the nation. From Kaduna to Zamfara, from Plateau to Borno, the blood of innocent Nigerians flowed freely. Rather than confront the crisis with transparency and competence, the government played politics with the lives of its citizens.

Security agencies were often accused of ethnic bias, selective intervention, and extrajudicial killings. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented numerous human rights violations by state actors. Thousands died, while millions were displaced—turning Nigeria into a humanitarian disaster zone.

A Stolen Republic
Make no mistake: Nigeria today is not a democracy. It is an autocratic state run by a cartel of politicians who wield power without accountability, enforce obedience through fear, and manipulate institutions to serve personal interests. Elections are rigged rituals. Courts are co-opted. The National Assembly is compromised. And the voices of the people are ignored.

This is not what democracy looks like. This is a betrayal of the Nigerian people.

It is time for Nigerians—home and abroad—to wake up to the brutal truth: our republic has been stolen. Our votes no longer count. Our leaders no longer listen. Our institutions no longer protect us.

The first step to reclaiming our democracy is to recognize its absence. The second is to mobilize civic resistance, strengthen independent media, support judicial independence, and rebuild credible opposition. The Nigerian people must demand electoral reform, transparency, and accountability with louder voices and bolder actions.

If we do nothing, the autocrats will tighten their grip further, and democracy will become a relic of the past. But if we rise, if we organize, and if we persist, we can reclaim the soul of our nation from those who have hijacked it.

From Democracy to Dictatorship: Nigeria's Descent into Autocracy Since 2015 By George Omagbemi Sylvester

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